Sing ho for a brave and a gallant ship And a fast and favoring breeze With a bully crew and a captain to To carry me over the seas To carry me over the seas me boys To my true love far away For I'm taking a trip on a Government ship Ten thousand miles away
Chorus after each verse
Then blow, ye winds and blow and a roving I will go I'll stay no more on England's shore To hear sweet music play For I'm on the move to me own true love Ten thousand miles away
My true love was beautiful And my true love was gay But she's taken a trip on a Government ship Bound out to Botany Bay Bound out to Botany Bay my boys And though she's far away I'll never forget me own true love Ten thousand miles away
Oh it was a summer's morning When last I saw my Meg She'd a Government band around each hand And another one round her leg Oh another one round her leg my boys As the big ship left the bay Adieu she says "remember me Ten thousand miles away"
I wish I was a bosun bold Or a sailor without fear I'd man a boat and away I'd float And straight for me true love steer And straight for me true love steer my boys Where the whales and dolphins play Where the whales and sharks are having their larks Ten thousand miles away
Oh, the sun may shine through the London fog Or the river run quite clear Or the ocean brine turn into wine Or I forget my beer Or I forget my beer my 'boys Or the landlord's quarter pay But I'll never forget me own true love Ten thousand miles away